Thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper

ABSTRACT

A thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper for a temperature sensitive payload is provided. The shipper comprises an outer shell, an inner shell and vacuum insulated panels sandwiched therebetween. The outer shell and the inner shell may be unitary rigid structures made of an expanded foam material and comprising a bottom having a perimeter and sides extending from the bottom perimeter and terminating in a rim. The inner shell rim may be spaced from the outer shell rim to define a gap, the gap being sealed to create an enclosed space within which the vacuum insulated panels are located. Each vacuum insulated panel may be oriented substantially orthogonally to at least one adjacent vacuum insulated panel and have an edge that abuts the adjacent vacuum insulated panels.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/908,607, filed Jun. 3, 2013. U.S. application Ser. No. 13/908,607 isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety to provide continuityof disclosure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates to a thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipperfor shipping temperature sensitive payloads. More particularly, thisinvention relates to a thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper forshipping temperature sensitive payloads that avoids the disadvantages ofprior insulated containers while affording additional structural andoperating advantages.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Thermally insulated shippers are used to ship perishable materials suchas pharmaceuticals, blood and blood products, transplant organs and foodproducts which must be maintained within a certain temperature range.The shipping and transportation of various perishable materialsfrequently requires that such materials be maintained in a stabletemperature range either higher or lower than the ambient temperaturesto which the packaging will be exposed. A number of different types ofthermally insulated containers have been developed for this purpose.They generally fall into two main categories, active shippers andpassive shippers.

Active shippers are those in which the internal temperature iscontrolled using a battery operated device or electrical power cord.These systems usually are expensive and quite bulky.

Passive shippers are those in which the internal temperature ismaintained without any battery or electrical support. Differentmaterials may be used to control the temperature, such as phase changematerial (material which can absorb or release heat depending on thesurrounding temperature), gel bricks (ice bricks), dry ice etc.

There are at least three types of passive shippers:

1. EPS shippers. EPS shipper are made out of expanded polystyrene foam(EPS) and may use a combination of other components such as a corrugatedbox, vacuum insulation panels, phase change materials, gel bricks anddry ice. Expanded foam shippers can also be made out of other types ofexpanded foam including but not limited to expanded polypropylene (EPP),expanded polystyrene/polyethylene and expanded polyethylene (EPE).

2. Vacuum Insulated Panel (VIP) shippers. A vacuum insulated panel is aproduct composed of a rigid, highly-porous nano size material core madefrom fused silica, aerogel, or glass fiber that is surrounded by ametalized or non-metallized plastic film enclosure that is vacuum packedand nearly hermetically sealed so as to remove any remnant air particleswithin the enclosure. The principal reason why VIP panels are highlysought after as material for use in insulation is due to theirexceptionally high thermally insulating properties. For example, EPS andpolyurethane, which are typical insulating materials, have an R value ofabout 4-4.5 and 5-6 hr-ft²-° F./BTU-in respectively, whereas the R valuefor a VIP panel of the same thickness is typically 35-40 hr-ft²-°F./BTU-in or more. In order for EPS or polyurethane to be as effectiveas a VIP panel, the same EPS or polyurethane sheets would need to bemade about seven or eight times thicker. An open topped box of VIPpanels can be made from five individual panels taped together usingpackaging tape or strapped together using band straps.

3. Polyurethane (PUR) shippers. PUR shippers are made by adding liquidPUR mix (a mixture of isocyanate, polyol, catalysts, blowing agents)into a corrugated box and then curing (foaming) the liquid.

The use of most if not all of these passive shippers involves severalchallenges and problems:

Edge Leaks

A typical VIP shipper is made by assembling five individual VIP panelsand securing the panels together using packaging tape or strapping usingband strap. Despite the care given to assembly there can be significantair gaps (edge leaks) formed during the assembly. These gaps are almostimpossible to eliminate due to the often uneven shape of VIP panelsaround the edges. Even though individual panels may have an R value ofup to 40/inch, the overall shipper R value may be anywhere between25-30, a 25-30% drop. The drop in R value is due to the edge leaks. Thisis also one of the main reasons packaging system consisting essentiallyof VIP panels are having difficulty being successful in the insulatedshipper market. They are expensive, and their insulative benefits aregreatly compromised due to edge leaks.

Edge leaks in general occur when two adjoining walls of material are notcompletely in contact/flush with one and another and therefore create avisible gap, also known as a thermal bridge. This thermal bridge createsa path of least resistance for heat to transfer through, thus making alleven high R-value materials ineffective at preventing thermaltransmissions. The R-value of the entire system is compromised andlanguishes to levels of systems with no VIP panels. Simply addingadditional thermal insulation to enclosure is of little benefit; thethermal bridge must be minimized or eliminated completely in order forthe system's R-value to be substantially enhanced.

The majority of air leaks arise in circumstances where manual labor isused to assemble the final product and where the mating surfaces of thecomponents being connected together are irregularly shaped or highlyunrefined. (Edge gaps can significantly widen during the standardtransportation resulting in further reduction of shipper R value.)Because the edge leaks are predominantly a function of the productioncontrol process of the particular product being manufactured, it isgreatly desired that the manufacturing operations have as tight controlas possible of the tolerances and procedures as cost allows. This inturn means that all manual operations should ideally be eliminated orcontrolled in such a way that the assembler's own experience does notweight heavily upon the final quality of the product.

Knife Defects, Puncture Defects

Vacuum (lack of gas molecules) is the primary reason why the R value ofVIP panels are so high. The outside casing of these panels is made up offlexible plastic film. The R value of VIP panel without a vacuum isabout 4/inch and this similar to EPS. If a VIP panel gets damaged due topuncture or rough handling then the R value drops due to the loss of thevacuum. The R value will also drop over time because the flexibleplastic film is not completely impermeable to gas and moisture. However,the most common defect in shipping container that comprise VIP panels isthe compromise of the flexible plastic film due to punctures or tears.VIP shippers typically are enclosed in a cardboard box. Extra care needsto be taken during unpacking and opening the box. A knife blade caneasily puncture the flexible plastic film resulting in a significantdrop in the R value from 40 to 4/inch. The entire shipper will fail evenif the failure is just in one VIP panel.

Manual Labor Requirements

As briefly mentioned above, the method currently used to create VIPboxes relies heavily upon manual manipulation, an inexact operation,where the individual panels are held temporarily in place while adhesivebindings such as tape or straps are used to compress the panelstogether, a requirement that is dictated by the need to minimize edgeleaks. Because there currently are no technologies to instantlydetermine what the operating R-value is of the final package, or even ina relatively short period of time, there is no reliable method to ensurethe thermal quality of the final product. Due to such shortcomings, amore repeatable and controlled method is desired.

Transportation Considerations

Transportation and the resulting vibrations that occur duringtransporting are important factors to consider when selectingappropriate packaging needs. With current manually produced VIP panelpackages, the risk of compromising the R-value properties of the packageis high, especially when the package undergoes severe shock or changesin momentum, such as when falling or wildly translating about a shelf ona vehicle. Manually constructed VIP packages that are held together withadhesive tape or another binding system that was never designed toabsorb impact or loads of any kind present a particular challenge.Excessive vibration or impacting of a package with a large enoughamplitude during transportation can and often does create edge leakagedue to air gaps between the VIP panels that deleteriously affects theperformance of such packaging systems. Requiring couriers to be moregentle or use greater care when handling the package is usually beyondthe control of the package maker or user. By designing a package tocreate a more robust and sturdy structure, the problems associated withtransportation and vibration can be mitigated or even eliminated.

Special Issues Related to PUR Shippers

PUR shippers have several particular disadvantages: (1) Output: Due tothe batch process and longer cycle time (15 to 40 minutes) required tomake them, PUR shipper manufacturing is capital intensive. (2) Cost: PURshippers generally are more expensive to make than EPS shippers due tothe complex method of foaming the liquid, lower throughput and highertooling costs. (3) Environmental concerns: Blowing agents such aschlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and hydrofluorocarbon (HCFC) used to producePUR foam can cause depletion of ozone layer, so efforts and regulationshave been put in place to phase out these chemicals.

The present invention is designed to solve the problems described above.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to an improved thermally insulated VIPsandwich shipper which avoids the disadvantages of prior insulatedcontainers while affording additional structural and operatingadvantages.

In one aspect the shipper comprises a rigid unitary outer shell, a rigidunitary inner shell and a vacuum insulation panel housing made of abottom vacuum insulation panel and four side vacuum insulation panels.

The rigid unitary outer shell is made of an expanded foam material andcomprises a bottom having an upper facing surface and a perimeter andfour sides extending from the bottom perimeter and terminating in a rim.The outer shell has a first R value and defines an interior.

The rigid unitary inner shell is made of an expanded foam material andis located within the outer shell interior. Like the outer shell, theinner shell comprises a bottom having a perimeter and sides extendingfrom the bottom perimeter and terminating in an inner shell rim. Theinner shell has a second R value. The outer shell and the inner shelldefines an enclosed space. The inner shell may have a lip extendingoutwardly from the inner shell rim.

The vacuum insulation panel housing is completely encapsulated withinthe enclosed space between the outer shell and the inner shell. Eachvacuum insulation panel has a third R value greater than the R values ofthe outer shell and the inner shell. The bottom vacuum insulation panelmay cover the entire upper facing surface of the outer shell bottom.Each side vacuum panel may have a bottom edge that abuts the bottomvacuum insulation panel and a top edge that abuts the inner shell. Theouter shell and the inner shell may be sealed together along a perfectseal line.

In another aspect a packaging system is provided comprising a containerand a unitary lid. The container comprises a unitary outer shell, aunitary inner shell, a bottom vacuum insulation panel and four sidevacuum insulation panels. The unitary rigid outer shell is made of anexpanded foam material and comprises a bottom and four sides extendingupward from the bottom. The unitary rigid inner shell is made of anexpanded foam material and comprises a bottom and four sides extendingupward from the bottom. The outer shell and the inner shell define abox-shaped space therebetween. The bottom vacuum insulation panel andthe four side vacuum insulation panels form a five sided housing locatedwithin the box-shaped space. The unitary lid comprises a vacuuminsulated panel completely enclosed between an outer foam panel and abottom foam panel. The lid is fitted onto the container so that the lidand container define a payload compartment.

In still another aspect a packaging system is provided comprising acontainer in which the bottom vacuum insulation panel and the four sidevacuum insulation panels are press fitted against each other and againstthe outer shell and the inner shell by forming the inner shell betweenthe five sided VIP housing and a male plug located in the VIP housinginterior space using high pressure molding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a thermally insulated VIPsandwich shipper according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lid of the thermallyinsulated VIP sandwich shipper of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the thermally insulated VIP sandwichshipper of FIG. 1 shown assembled.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the thermally insulated VIP sandwichshipper of FIG. 3 taken along line 4-4.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the thermally insulated VIP sandwichshipper of FIG. 3 taken along line 5-5.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a method of making the thermallyinsulated VIP sandwich shipper of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a graph comparing the thermal performance of a VIP sandwichshipper according to the disclosure to a PUR shipper for a winterambient profile.

FIG. 8 is a graph comparing the thermal performance of a VIP sandwichshipper according to the disclosure to a PUR shipper for a summerambient profile.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an alternative (automated) methodof making the thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a molding assembly such as might be usedto create the box portion of the thermally insulated VIP sandwichshipper of FIG. 1 via an automated process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While this invention may be embodied in many forms, there is shown inthe drawings and will herein be described in detail one or moreembodiments with the understanding that this disclosure is to beconsidered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and isnot intended to limit the invention to the illustrated embodiments.

The Thermally Insulated VIP Sandwich Shipper

Turning to the drawings, there is shown in the figures one embodiment ofthe present invention, a thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper fortemperature sensitive products. As best shown in FIG. 1, the thermallyinsulated VIP sandwich shipper 10 comprises an outer shell 12, an innershell 14 and one or more panels of insulation material such as vacuuminsulated panels (VIPs) 16 located (“sandwiched”) between the outer andinner shells 12, 14. Together the outer shell 12, inner shell 14 andVIPs 16 form a box or carton 22 onto which a lid 18 can be fitted toform the shipper 10. The box 22 and lid 18 together define a payloadcompartment 20.

The outer shell 12 may be made of expanded foam (such as EPS, EPP,EPS/PE) or other suitable insulative material and is basically in theshape of an open topped box. The outer shell may comprise a bottom 24and four sides 26 extending upward from the periphery of the bottom 24and terminating in a rim 28.

Likewise, the inner shell 14 may be made of expanded foam (such as EPS,EPP, EPS/PE) or other suitable insulative material and is basically inthe shape of an open topped box, albeit smaller than the outer shell 12so that the inner shell 14 can nest within the outer shell 12, leaving agap therebetween for accommodating the VIP panels 16. The inner shell 14may comprise a bottom 32 and four sides 34 extending upward from theperiphery of the bottom 32 and terminating in a rim 36.

In the assembled shipper 10, the VIP panels 16 are located between thenested outer and inner shells 12, 14, which protects the VIP panels 16from punctures or tearing. Preferably the VIP panels 16 are wedgedagainst each other together so that the edge 40 of one VIP panel 16abuts an adjacent VIP panel 16, thereby reducing or eliminating edgeleaks. A sealant may be applied along the top rim of the shipper 10between adjoining faces of the outer shell 12 and inner shell 14 to sealoff the VIP panels 16 so they are completely enclosed. Alternatively,the lid 18 may be used to seal off the VIP panels 16 so they arecompletely enclosed. In yet another alternative, the outer shell 12 andinner shell 14 are sealed together along a perfect seal line 58 duringthe molding process.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a lid 18 for use with thethermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper 10 of FIG. 1. The lid 18 maycomprise a VIP panel 16 sandwiched between a top or outer panel 42 and abottom or inner panel 44. The VIP panel 16 may be completely enclosed inthe assembled lid 18 to prevent puncturing or tearing of the VIP panel16.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembled thermally insulated VIPsandwich shipper 10. The VIP panels 16 surround the payload compartment20 on at least one and as many as six sides but cannot be seen in FIG.3.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the thermally insulated VIP sandwichshipper 10 of FIG. 3 taken along line 4-4. The VIP panels 16 are wedgedbetween the outer panel 12 and the inner panel 14, preferably so thatthere is no space between the VIP panels 16 and the outer shell 12 orinner shell 14. In other words, the VIP panels 16 occupy the entire gapor void between the outer shell 12 and the inner shell 14. Preferablythe vertical edges 40 of each VIP side panel 16 abut any orthogonallyadjoining VIP side panels 16.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the thermally insulated VIP sandwichshipper 10 of FIG. 3 taken along line 5-5. Preferably the VIP sidepanels 16 extend from the VIP bottom panel 16 adjacent the outer shellbottom 24 to the top rim 36 of the inner shell 14.

The thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper 10 may be used to packageand ship temperature sensitive products. Typically these products have aspecified or required temperature range that must be maintained during aspecific shipping duration and while the thermally insulated VIPsandwich shipper is subject to various ambient temperature conditions.For example, a product may be expected to be shipped for 120 hours andbe exposed to ambient temperatures of between −20 C and 45 C (−4 F and113 F), but have a temperature tolerance of between 0 C and 15 C (32 Fand 59 F). A thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper according to thepresent disclosure may be designed to accommodate these requirements.

Method of Making the Thermally Insulated VIP Sandwich Shipper

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a method of making a thermallyinsulated VIP sandwich shipper 10. The thermally insulated VIP sandwichshipper 10 may be made using a steam chest molding machine to mold theexpanded foam components s explained further below. The shipper 10 canalso be constructed using individual panels of expanded polystyrene foam(EPS) or any other suitable thermally insulated panels including but notlimited to extruded polystyrene (XPS).

Construction of the Box

The method of making the thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper 10 maycomprise the following steps:

Step 100: Mold the EPS outer shell 12 on a steam chest molding machine.

Step 102: Mold the inner EPS shell 14. This can be done on the samesteam chest molding machine as was used to make the outer shell 12 (byusing two different cavities) or on a different machine.

Step 104: Bring the outer shell from step 100 to the next work stationand insert five (5) VIP panels (one for each of the four sides 26 of theouter shell 12 and one for the bottom 24) into the outer shell 12 sothat the edges 40 of each VIP panel are pressed against the adjacent VIPpanel 16 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The VIP panels 16 are flexible andhave resilience. They can be press fitted against each other and againstthe outer shell 12 and inner shell 14 to minimize or eliminate edgeleaks.

Step 106: Slide the inner shell from step 102 into the outer shellassembly from step 104 (with VIP panels 16 along the four sides andbottom).

Step 108: Once both the inner shell 14 and the outer shell 12 have beencombined to form the box 22, apply a bead of sealant between theadjoining faces of the inner shell 14 and the outer shell 12 near theirrespective rims.

This method of manufacture minimizes or eliminates edge leaks becausethe VIP panels 16 are wedged between the molded foam walls of the outershell 12 and the inner shell 14 and are secured therebetween. After step106, pressure may be applied to further press the VIP panels 16 againstthe walls of the outer shell 12 and the inner shell 16, thus eliminatingedge leaks all together. The VIP's 16 will be protected and will becompletely invisible (hidden) between the walls of the outer shell andthe inner shell 14.

Construction of the Lid

Step 110: Mold the outer (top) panel 44 and the inner (bottom) panel 46of the lid 18.

Step 112: Insert a VIP panel 16 into the outer panel 44 and assemble allthree pieces as shown in FIG. 2.

EXAMPLES

As the following examples show, the thermally insulated VIP sandwichshipper may have thermal characteristics superior to those ofconventional polyurethane (PUR) shippers.

Case Study 1—Box Size, Weight and Thermal Comparison

In case study 1, a reduction in container size of 40% was achieved whileimproving system insulation value (R value) by 55% and reducing weightby 40%. These improvements resulted in a VIP sandwich shipper that iseasy to pack, lower in weight and has better thermal performance.

TABLE 1 Shipper Shipper Shipper VIP PUR EPS Box size R value weight TypeThickness Thickness Thickness Box Size, Inches reduction improvementreduction PUR Not 3 inch Not 22.75 × 20.25 × 19.75 shipper Present PURwall Present Shipper 0.5 inch Not 2 inch 21 × 18.5 × 14 40% 55% 35-40%according Present to the disclosure

Case Study 2—Winter Ambient Profile Performance

In case study 2, a VIP sandwich shipper was compared to a PUR shipper inconditions simulating a winter ambient temperature profile. The box sizeand wall thickness of the PUR shipper and the VIP sandwich shipper waskept similar. The objective was to provide a shipper for keepingpharmaceutical products between 2-8 degrees C. for a minimum 96 hours ofshipping. As shown in FIG. 7, the PUR shipper failed after only 8 hoursin service as the inner temperature dropped below 2 degrees C. Bycontrast, the VIP sandwich shipper maintained the temperature of theproduct between 3-5 deg C. for 96 hours.

Case Study 3—Summer Ambient Profile Performance

In case study 3, a VIP sandwich shipper was compared to a PUR shipperfor a summer ambient temperature profile. The objective was to provide ashipper for keeping pharmaceutical products at temperature less than −20degrees C. for a minimum of 96 hours. As shown in FIG. 8, thetemperature inside the VIP sandwich shipper was much colder at all timesand the duration below −20 degrees C. was 12 hours longer than with thePUR shipper. This improvement with the VIP sandwich shipper is veryimportant because ambient temperature profiles often vary and theshipper can get exposed to harsh environments during summer days. TheVIP sandwich shipper in case study 3 was also 20% smaller in volume and18% lower in weight.

Case Study 4—Thermal Characteristics (R Value)

The thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper may have thermalcharacteristics superior to those of a conventional VIP shipper as shownin Table 2 below:

TABLE 2 System R value, VIP EPS Box Size, Ft² * Hr * ° F./BTU ShipperType Thickness Thickness Inches inch VIP shipper   1 inch NA 12 × 10 ×19-28 12 Shipper 0.5 inch 2.5 inch 12 × 10 × 26-30 according to 12 thedisclosureMethod of Making the Thermally Insulated VIP Sandwich Shipper—Automatic

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an alternative (automated) methodof making the box portion 22 of the thermally insulated VIP sandwichshipper of FIG. 1. The automated process for making the box 22 maycomprise the following steps:

Step 200: Mold an outer shell 12.

Step 202: Place the VIP panels 16 on the inside of the outer shell 12.The VIP panels 16 may be placed against one or more of the outer shellbottom 24 and sides 26 to create an outer shell assembly.

Step 204: Transfer the pre-molded outer shell and VIP panel assembly toan insert molding machine. The insert molding machine may be an EPS orEPP molding machine having insert molding capability as described inmore detail below.

Step 206: Position a male plug 54 within the outer shell and VIP panelassembly, leaving a space therebetween.

Step 208: Mold inner shell (14) into the space between the VIP panels 16and the male plug 54. After molding the inner shell 14, the VIP panels16 should be sandwiched between the outer shell 12 and inner shell 14and enclosed therebetween so that the VIP panels 16 cannot be removed oreven seen.

Similarly, the automated process for making the lid 18 may comprise thefollowing steps:

Step 210: Mold the lid outer panel 42.

Step 212: Place a VIP panel 16 within the outer panel 42.

Step 214: Transfer the pre-molded outer panel 42 and VIP panel assemblyto an insert molding machine.

Step 216: Position a male plug near the outer panel 42 and VIP panelassembly, leaving a space therebetween.

Step 218: Mold the inner shell (44) between the VIP panel and the maleplug. After molding the inner shell 44, the VIP panel 16 should besandwiched between the outer panel 42 and inner panel 44 and enclosedtherebetween so that the VIP panel 16 cannot be removed or even seen.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a molding assembly 50 such as might beused to create the box 22 via an automated process. The molding assembly50 comprises components of the thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper10 and components of the insert molding machine. The components of thethermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper 10 shown in FIG. 10 are theouter shell 12, the inner shell 14 and five VIP panels 16, consisting ofa bottom VIP panel 16 and four side VIP panels 16. The VIP panels 16 areshown as they would be arranged edge to edge within the outer shell 12.The components of the insert molding machine shown in FIG. 10 consist ofan aluminum female plug 52, an aluminum male plug 54 and a fill gun 56.

The automated process has a number of advantages:

1. It can reduce the cycle time and assembly time to make the VIPsandwich shipper 10.

2. The insert molding can create a perfect seal line 58 between theouter shell 12 and the inner shell 14, making it difficult todistinguish where the outer shell 12 ends and the inner shell 14 starts.This perfect seal line 58 is possible due to the high temperature steamchest molding. The automated process also eliminates use of adhesive toseal the gap between outer shell 12 and the inner shell 14.

3. During high pressure steam chest molding every void/gap between VIPpanels 16 and the walls of the outer shell 12 and the inner shell 14will be filled with expanded bead foam, thus creating near hermeticseal.

4. High pressure molding helps push the VIP panels 16 against eachother, thus virtually eliminating edge leaks.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The thermally insulated VIP sandwich shipper may be used in any industrywhere temperature sensitive products are shipped, including but notlimited to the pharmaceutical, hospital and food industries.

It is understood that the embodiments of the invention described aboveare only particular examples which serve to illustrate the principles ofthe invention. Modifications and alternative embodiments of theinvention are contemplated which do not depart from the scope of theinvention as defined by the foregoing teachings and appended claims. Itis intended that the claims cover all such modifications and alternativeembodiments that fall within their scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A packaging system for shipping a temperaturesensitive payload, the packaging system comprising: a rigid unitaryouter shell made of an expanded foam material and comprising a bottomhaving an upper facing surface and a perimeter and four sides extendingfrom the bottom perimeter and terminating in a rim, the outer shellhaving a first R value, the outer shell defining an interior; a rigidunitary inner shell made of an expanded foam material and located withinthe outer shell interior, the inner shell comprising a bottom having aperimeter and sides extending from the bottom perimeter and terminatingin an inner shell rim, the inner shell having a second R value, theouter shell and the inner shell defining an enclosed space; and a vacuuminsulation panel housing comprising a bottom vacuum insulation panel andfour individual side vacuum insulation panels, the vacuum insulationpanel housing being completely encapsulated within the enclosed spacebetween the outer shell and the inner shell, each vacuum insulationpanel having a third R value greater than the R values of the outershell and the inner shell, each of the bottom vacuum insulation paneland four side vacuum insulation panels comprising a rigid, highly-porouscore surrounded by an enclosure, wherein: each vacuum insulation panelcomprises four peripheral edges; and the vacuum insulation panels arewedged against each other so that at least one peripheral edge of eachside vacuum insulation panel directly contacts an adjacent vacuuminsulation panel.
 2. The packaging system of claim 1 wherein: the innershell has a lip extending outwardly from the inner shell rim; the bottomvacuum insulation panel covers the entire upper facing surface of theouter shell bottom; and each side vacuum panel has a bottom edge thatabuts the bottom vacuum insulation panel and a top edge that abuts theinner shell.
 3. The packaging system of claim 1 wherein the outer shell,inner shell and vacuum insulation panels define a box, the packagingsystem further comprising: a lid that fits onto the box.
 4. Thepackaging system of claim 3 wherein the box and lid together define apayload compartment.
 5. The packaging system of claim 4 wherein the lidcomprises: a vacuum insulated panel sealed between an outer panel and abottom panel.
 6. The packaging system of claim 1 wherein: the vacuuminsulated panels occupy the entire enclosed space between the outershell and the inner shell.
 7. The packaging system of claim 1 wherein:the outer shell and the inner shell are sealed together along a perfectseal line.
 8. A packaging system comprising: a container comprising aunitary outer shell, a unitary inner shell, a bottom vacuum insulationpanel and four side vacuum insulation panels; the unitary rigid outershell made of an expanded foam material and comprising a bottom and foursides extending upward from the bottom; the unitary rigid inner shellmade of an expanded foam material and comprising a bottom and four sidesextending upward from the bottom; the outer shell and the inner shelldefining a box-shaped space therebetween; the bottom vacuum insulationpanel and the four individual side vacuum insulation panels forming afive sided housing located within the box-shaped space, each of thebottom vacuum insulation panel and four side vacuum insulation panelscomprising a rigid, highly-porous core surrounded by an enclosure, thevacuum insulated panels occupying the entire box-shaped space.